Benefits of Self-Directed Learning For Employees

by Dana Skiff on June 29, 2009

There are several distinct benefits of SDL for the employee. Among them are:

SDL is compatible with any and all learning styles and strategies.

The assumption is the employee will approach their learning in a way that is most compatible with their own learning style and strategy. In approaching pre-designed, structured training modules, employees can seek out those most congruent with their learning styles. Where the employee designs his/her own learning experience, they would opt for those with which they are most comfortable.

SDL is compatible with any and all instructional methodologies.

SDL is not an instructional methodology, but rather an approach to learning. The core notion of SDL is responsibility and accountability for learning, not instructional methodologies. As such, SDL is compatible with all instructional methodologies. What does not exist now but would flourish in an ideal SDL world would be the proliferation of new, alternative learning modalities, e.g., shadowing, task force membership, etc.

SDL is not time dependent.

Employees can engage in their own learning whenever it is practical for them to do so and work at their own pace not unlike current situations involving elearning or written, self-study modules. No waiting for schedule classroom sessions. The more pressing and urgent the learning problem, the quicker the learning can be initiated but within a time frame that is meaningful and appropriate to the employee.